title: Perception versus reality: a comparative study of the clinical judgment skills of nurses during a simulated activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was conducted to determine how closely nurses' perceptions of their clinical judgment abilities matched their demonstrated clinical judgment skills during a simulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four registered nurses participated in a simulation using a video format. After the simulation, the nurses self-assessed their performance using the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric. This rubric was then used to rate the nurses' actual performance in the simulation activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study results showed a significant discrepancy between nurses' perceptions of their own clinical judgment abilities and their demonstrated clinical judgment skills. Age and length of nursing experience enhanced the difference between the findings of self-assessment and actual performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Younger nurses and those with 1 year or less of nursing experience were significantly more likely to have self-assessed their abilities at a much higher level compared with their actual skills.
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fenske
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Aebersold
authors.forename: Laurie S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Hartman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D059408:Pain Management; D016544:Patient Simulation; D012647:Self-Assessment; D014741:Video Recording